CCSG By The Numbers: 2025 Roster Breakdown (Part 5)
The final five players of this roster breakdown are here! As a refresher, this series covers the statistical impact of each Atlético Ottawa player, going over their strengths and weaknesses based on their underlying numbers, their overall grade (based on my analytics model, a summary of which is available here), a few of my thoughts, and their contract situation next year. For those who missed the previous instalments, they can be viewed here (Part 1), here (Part 2), here (Part 3), and here (Part 4). At the end of the piece is the overall ranking table. Enjoy!
#5 - Ballou Tabla (CAM, 72.4 WPA)
This was a tremendous bounce-back season for Ballou Tabla, playing a role akin to a second striker or a CAM rather than his typical winger. This allowed him a lot more freedom to select his route of attack, and of course bouncing off of the most talented player in league history, David Rodríguez, did not hurt his impact either. His goals mostly came from the penalty spot, including one muffed attempt that he bundled in after the goalie saved it, but he did contribute during open play with his assists. He drew a lot of fouls, was a more consistent dribbler than last year, and, as usual, did not contribute much on the defensive side of the ball. While perhaps not at his scintillating 2022 form, Tabla was certainly a force up top and was an ever-present starter for Ottawa this season.
Contract Status for 2026: Under Contract, through 2026
With his brilliant form and coming off a title win, it is no surprise that Tabla is generating some transfer buzz, though more from teams at level rather than a step up—Supra anyone? Any team would have to pay a fee, so perhaps that dims the interest slightly, given his age and inconsistent form, but only time will tell. If he can produce at the same pace as last season in 2026, with both his front-three partners gone, he will be an extremely valuable asset, but that is not guaranteed, given his history.
#4: Monty Patterson (ST, 75.4 WPA)
Sample sizes can make one goal and one assist in fewer than 200 minutes look like prime R9, so pardon the high ranking here. I think most ATO fans expected Patterson to play a slightly larger role this season, but with Sam Salter’s form, frankly, there was no room for him. He played his part as a spark plug off the bench for the most part, but is clearly on the hunt for a different fit and more play time, given the recent news that his contract had been terminated by mutual agreement. I enjoyed having him as a closer option off the bench, and we wish him well in his future endeavours.
#3 - Juan ‘Coque’ Castro (CM, 77.6 WPA)
Up until this past season, Ottleti had never had a truly competent midfield—it was the history of the Ottawa. That started to change with the addition of Alberto Zapater, and then again Manny Aparicio, and then absolutely with Coque’s signing in the winter. While Aparicio was decent last season, he was a bit all over the place without a reliable partner, and the Mexican Maestro changed that. While his statistical impact wasn’t all that sexy, with his best stats being his distribution and nothing else too high up, it was the reliability behind Aparicio and his leadership that really transformed our midfield pivot into by far the best in the league, and possibly in the history of the Canadian top flight.
Contract Status for 2026: Under Contract, through 2026
I think it was a no-brainer to activate his option, and I’m happy to see the club has done so. Ottawa would have been remiss not to make sure he returns for what will be another stellar season in the nation’s capital, and even Champions League action in February!
#2: Manny Aparicio (CM, 81.2 WPA)
As the second in our pivot this season (and heavily alluded to in the previous section) at number two is the heartbeat of the Ottawa midfield, the bulldog Manny Aparicio—he was everywhere on the pitch for ATO this season and contributed positively in basically every aspect of play. Nothing particularly stands out in his statistical profile, but that’s because almost every statistic is a positive when accounting for both volume and rate, something he had struggled with previously. His one glaring negative trait was his tendency to give away more fouls than he drew, but as an enthusiastic tackler on a team that fouled mainly to stop counters—as most top teams do—I would not count that against him.
Contract Status for 2026: Option
Like for Castro before him, I think not activating his option would be a fireable offence for whoever makes that decision. Aparicio showed tremendous growth in a system that relied on consistent and energetic midfield play, and given that Mejía is back for another year, it is safe to assume he will replicate a similar season next year.
#1 - David Rodríguez (CAM, 81.3 WPA)
Moses, DR7, DRod. The fact that Rodríguez accumulated at least three sobriquets this season is a testament to the transcendent talent that he is and the heroic impact he had on the field for Ottawa this season. Frankly, it is a waste of words to describe him, as any fan who watched even a single game of his knows what a monster he was for us. It is even less worthwhile to dwell on the minutiae of his statistical impact, because frankly, it trivializes his generational season, one that will almost certainly go down as one of the best in league history, from a player who is undoubtedly one of the most talented ever to wear a jersey with a CPL logo.
Within a day of the final, Rodríguez was jet-setting off to talk to MLS teams, given that his contract is up with not just Ottawa, but also Atlético San Luis, his parent club. It is safe to say he will not be returning to the nation’s capital next season, but he might make an appearance AGAINST us if he signs with the team that we get drawn against in the Champions League. Wouldn’t that be a treat, eh?
And that wraps up the list, highlighting some of the best single-season performances in ATO history! The final rankings are listed below, and aside from a few surprises, I do think it is a fair reflection of most players’ individual seasons this year. I would also like to extend a big shoutout to my editor, who put up with my misuse of em-dashes and lack of accents! Until next time!
